Injuries & Boo Boos

Hey out there!
This week is Spring Break for us and that translates into more gym time. Which I am not absolutely confined to a desk in order to work. So 4 by 3 it is this week (4 hours 3 days a week). Monday The Munchkin Princess showed me her hand after practice and of course there was a fairly large (maybe the size of a bean), very red blister at the top of the palm of her hand. This is not uncommon for gymnasts, unfortunately the uneven bars are not very kind to tender fleshed hands. I have not decided what tactic I am going to take with this specific injury but another parent was telling me that they choose to vigorously rub the blister with a alcohol soaked cotton ball to encourage it to burst and then heal more quickly. This approach creates callouses, which does mean that blisters are less likely to occur in the area. But it also means that the hands will feel as though you grew up slapping bricks for fun. Hmm, what is more important though hands worth holding or blisters that won't so readily return? But even beyond that, I don't know if I have the heart to cause more pain than necessary to my child. Think about it: an already tender wound being forcibly scoured with rubbing alcohol? I can just see my child crying and not wanting to talk to me for the rest of the evening. I am  more than sure that she would tell my parents on me. And that would open up a whole other point of pain. LOL
I am sure that there has to be a more....humane way of handling palm blisters training the skin to "toughen" up a bit. According to this article on blisters and rips, tea tree oil helps heal and I should decide is I want to let it heal on its own or drain it. That I am sure I can handle. It's not that I am squeamish about injuries or my child being in pain, but I definitely don't want to cause her any unnecessary amount pain just because I was too lazy to research a better way. Old school isn't always the best school. I do have tea tree oil and coated gauze pads at home so tonight we shall play medic and it the boo boo better.
Take care of any wounds quickly and carefully so you can fly high and stick it ya'll

Word for today:
Rip - The partial or complete tearing of the skin on the palms of the hands. Rips are different from blisters in that, blisters are not yet open wounds and are filled with fluid. These wounds most often come from an increase in bar practice or improper care of old callouses.